Two former commissioners and several aides of former Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola have dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the ruling Accord Party. The defectors, including Folorunsho Bamisayemi and Yemi Lawal, were among a crowd of loyalists of Senator Iyiola Omisore and other prominent APC members who joined Accord on Tuesday.
Mass Defection at Campaign Flag-Off
The politicians were formally received into Accord at the flag-off of Governor Ademola Adeleke's re-election campaign in Osogbo, ahead of the August 15 governorship election. Addressing a large crowd at Freedom Park, Governor Adeleke responded to a court judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties, including Accord, by assuring supporters that “Accord will be on the ballot.” He added, “Your votes will count and I will be re-elected as your governor on August 15th.”
Adeleke's Assurance and Directives
Adeleke further stated, “All lawful means are being deployed to sustain and retain our rights to vote and be voted for. We will not bow to dark forces; we remain courageous and we shall again be victorious by the special grace of God. I charge you to hold your head high. There should be no dull moment. From this assembly for democracy, the light of good governance must continue to spread to all corners of Osun state. Go out to all voting units, mobilise for the Accord. Our party remains a duly registered political party in this country. Rule of law must prevail. Democracy must survive.”
On the local government administration debacle, Adeleke directed the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, “to stop forthwith his protection for the illegal occupation of our council secretariats.” He also called on the United Bank for Africa to end its “unholy alliance with court-sacked APC council chairmen” and demanded that “our diverted council fund must be fully accounted for by the bank and the sacked chairmen.”
Decampees Cite Frustration with APC
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, former Commissioner of Education during Oyetola's administration, Folorunsho Bamisayemi, said they left APC out of frustration over past electoral losses. He explained that the refusal of APC leaders to consider Omisore as a candidate also fueled their defection. “When Adeleke was alone without our support, he beat our party, APC, three times. In 2017, he won 9 LGAs out of 10; in 2018, he won us with 353 votes before we sorted it; in 2022 he crashed us on the floor that we could not even stand up with 28,000 votes. We the supporters of Omisore decided to join Adeleke for his re-election. It is only in the Bible that David defeated Goliath; it never happened in reality. We told them but they refused to listen that Adeleke is a giant that David can’t defeat. We told them that they should present Omisore as candidate of the party but they didn’t listen; he was disqualified. Adeleke will win the election, we will work for his re-election. Adeleke has done well throughout the state in Osogbo, Ila, Iwo, Ile-Ife, Ilesa and others. You have done well, you deserve a second term. The APC is scared of Adeleke because he defeated them three times; they are now looking for a subtle way to disqualify him from participating in the election. They envisaged that he will win for the fourth time; they are now resorting to using court order against him.”
Support from Labour and Medical Associations
Other speakers, including the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), lauded Adeleke for his achievements and assured him of their support.
